1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic opening/closing trash bin lid equipped in a lavatory unit of an aircraft.
2. Description of the Related Art
A lavatory unit of an aircraft is equipped with a stool, a wash basin, a trash bin and so on.
The lid of a trash bin in the lavatory unit of an aircraft that is used by an unspecified number of passengers should preferably be opened and closed in a noncontact fashion for sanity reasons.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 08-020405 (patent document 1) discloses a mechanism for opening and closing a bottom cover of a refuse (trash) bin that can be operated single-handedly. Further, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 11-318766 (patent document 2) discloses an automatic closing apparatus of a stool cover using an infrared sensor.
The trash bin and the like equipped in an aircraft is required by law to have a function to prevent fire from spreading. According to this function, when a fire occurs inside the trash bin, the trash bin is airtightly closed to cut the inflow of fresh air into the bin to thereby automatically extinguish the fire.